"Safely"

How often have you said this or had this said to you: "Drive safely"? I usually have this as my response: "Only if he wants to ride with me." I guess "safely" was riding along with me last Wednesday as I was driving on Interstate 15 heading north out of Baker, CA. I was rear-ended by another driver. He totalled his car while bending the bumper on my trailer in 45 degrees. He also managed to come far enough under to take two big chunks of tread out of one of my tires and anothe out of the sidewall. He walked away with just a cut on his head. I was able to drive away, get my tire replaced in Las Vegas and make my deliveries the next day.

Each day we get in a car, walk out of our homes, get out of bed and do a whole host of other things. We do them without thinking about the danger that exists all around us. If we did, how would we act? We might become paralyzed by the thoughts of what "might happen." I'm usually driving just feet away from other trucks that carry who knows what. A plethora of things could happen that would cause us to meet in one way or another. However, when all are doing their jobs by doing a proper pre-trip, drive defensively and for the conditions, we make it to our destinations without incident.

One perspective would say that is how we planned it. It is supposed to work that way. The truth is "Safely" rides with me each day in the person of Jesus Christ or one of His appointed angels. I could not be away from my family and loved ones as much as I am, doing what I do without his hand of protection over me and my loved ones. He has promised that He will not slumber nor sleep, even when I get the rest I need to drive the miles I do each day. I could do everything "right" according to human standards and still have it all go wrong. With my Lord, even if it goes wrong, humanly speaking, I am always in his care. That is true for all His Children. That is what enables us to exist and operate in a world full of "chance", "circumstance", and just plain "dumb luck."

I have included a picture of what the impact did to my bumper. It is made of 1/4 inch square steel tubing, set at 18 inches above the ground. I was doing 40 mph when I got hit.